Help Live Streaming USB out from mixer to computer issues

ericcsong · #1 10-05-2021, 07:58 PM

I thought I'd ask here to see what kind of help I could get.

Our church has been streaming for a while because of the pandemic. For mmany months we were using a small Allen and Heath zed 16fx board. A few mics went straight into the board and a usb went into the laptop with no problems. We were able to control the volume of the usb out so the people who were hearing could hear just fine.

Because we went to a hybrid model as we are transitionaing back to in-person, we too a main out from the board and ran that to the house sound. From the Allen and Heath zed16fx, the house sound was controlled by the main and the usb out was controlled by the aux master. We had no problems controlling the volume to those who were streaming.

Long story short, we couldn't use our old board to get a clean signal to a computer and thats why I used my Allen and Heath zed board for the time being. We wanted to clean up our act so I bought a new Allen and Heath qu-16 board. When I run an aux out, everything seems quiet to those streaming. I cannot control the level from the aux which the people who are streaming are hearing.

I know there must be something simple I might be missing. Any suggestions?

KevWind · #2 10-06-2021, 07:08 AM

First I am not familiar with the A&H mixer so just some general thoughts

Eric your explanation is a little hard to follow, but if I am understanding
basically::

#1 you are now using a new A&H Qu 16 board and your'e trying to use it for both the live in house sound, and for feeding a live stream for those listening at home ?

#2 and the level for the in house sound is fine but you can't control the level for the live stream ?

#3 What Streaming platform are you using ?

#4 Are you still using the laptop for the streaming ?

ericcsong · #3 10-06-2021, 08:58 AM

Thanks for the response. Sorry for not being clear. I'm certainly not an expert, but know some basics of a sound board. Enough to get by!

#1 Yes, now we are using a new Allen and Heath qu-16. We are wanting to simplify to use it for the house sound and sending that signal vua usb out from the board to a computer. We want the listeners at home to hear what we are hearing.

#2 This is correct, the level for the house is great and we can her it perfectly.
The majority of listeners say they can hear fine. Some say its too quiet so we would like to have some control.

#3 We run the usb straight to the computer. We are running Zoom and Zoom will stream it automatically to Facebook. I understand that Zoom has some issues in itself. When we pull up our Zoom account, we can hear the signal fine. We would like a hair more control to give a little more volume to listners at home.

#4 We are still using the laptop for streaming.

I believe that there are some factory settings on the gain levels for the USB out. I was hoping to have more control and believe that it is possible, but I just don't know how.

Ideally I would love some knob to turn up just a hair for the listners at home. I could run the house sound to an interface and then the interface to a computer. I was hoping not to do it this way and thats one reason we went with the Allen and Heath with a USB out.

Also seems like this is a common issue: https://community.allen-heath.com/fo...ery-low-volume

Hope that helps a little! Thanks for taking the time!

MikeBmusic · #4 10-06-2021, 01:25 PM

You can send signals that are near clipping on your mixer/interface to Zoom, and the volume for listeners in zoom can still be low. Its just a function of zoom. Since some listeners say the volume is ok, the others need to turn up their volumes!

KevWind · #5 10-06-2021, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericcsong

Thanks for the response. Sorry for not being clear. I'm certainly not an expert, but know some basics of a sound board. Enough to get by!

#1 Yes, now we are using a new Allen and Heath qu-16. We are wanting to simplify to use it for the house sound and sending that signal vua usb out from the board to a computer. We want the listeners at home to hear what we are hearing.

#2 This is correct, the level for the house is great and we can her it perfectly.
The majority of listeners say they can hear fine. Some say its too quiet so we would like to have some control.

#3 We run the usb straight to the computer. We are running Zoom and Zoom will stream it automatically to Facebook. I understand that Zoom has some issues in itself. When we pull up our Zoom account, we can hear the signal fine. We would like a hair more control to give a little more volume to listners at home.

#4 We are still using the laptop for streaming.

I believe that there are some factory settings on the gain levels for the USB out. I was hoping to have more control and believe that it is possible, but I just don't know how.

Ideally I would love some knob to turn up just a hair for the listners at home. I could run the house sound to an interface and then the interface to a computer. I was hoping not to do it this way and thats one reason we went with the Allen and Heath with a USB out.

Also seems like this is a common issue: https://community.allen-heath.com/fo...ery-low-volume

Hope that helps a little! Thanks for taking the time!

So to back up a bit and a bit more clarification first is the laptop Mac or PC ?

In your number #2 you say the majority of listeners (I assume at home listeners ) can hear the streaming level just fine ?
Question are the at home listeners all using Facebook or are they using Zoom ? Or is it a mix of both and if a mix are the Zoom listeners the ones who can hear it fine ?

I am also unsure, if some listeners can hear it fine then what does this mean
"When I run an aux out, everything seems quiet to those streaming"
Also I thought you running the streaming from the mixers USB out ? What does an Aux out have to do it ?

Or possibly like Mic B said it may just be the level on different listeners specific devices ? Which obviously you will not be able to control ?

Also when you say when you pull up your Zoom account you hear it fine Do you mean you are hearing it fine from the laptop audio outs ?

In any case (you may already know this but) assuming you have A&H as the mic device in the Zoom audio settings , you can control the Zoom mic input level in the zoom app with the mic test feature

ericcsong · #6 10-06-2021, 06:56 PM

So to back up a bit and a bit more clarification first is the laptop Mac or PC ?

We are using a PC.

In your number #2 you say the majority of listeners (I assume at home listeners ) can hear the streaming level just fine ?

yes, only a few complaints. Same people complaining with old system!

Question are the at home listeners all using Facebook or are they using Zoom ? Or is it a mix of both and if a mix are the Zoom listeners the ones who can hear it fine ?

Usually Facebook users. I'm wondering if its how Zoom streams it to facebook.

I am also unsure, if some listeners can hear it fine then what does this mean
"When I run an aux out, everything seems quiet to those streaming"
Also I thought you running the streaming from the mixers USB out ? What does an Aux out have to do it ?

I meant USB out, not Aux. sorry!

Also when you say when you pull up your Zoom account you hear it fine Do you mean you are hearing it fine from the laptop audio outs ?

Yes, fine from headphones attached to laptop which steams Zoom.

In any case (you may already know this but) assuming you have A&H as the mic device in the Zoom audio settings , you can control the Zoom mic input level in the zoom app with the mic test feature

All parameters on Zoom and computer are all the way up.

I'm just wondering how to control the USB out level?

KevWind · #7 10-07-2021, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericcsong

yes, only a few complaints. Same people complaining with old system!

As Mike mentioned it may well be simply those listeners playback devices....

Quote:

Usually Facebook users. I'm wondering if its how Zoom streams it to facebook.

Possibly we used Zoom to stream our open mic, but we went to Youtube for listeners and I am not aware of any level issues

Quote:

Yes, fine from headphones attached to laptop which steams Zoom.

Perhaps you can encourage those having level issues to download the Zoom app ????

Quote:

I'm just wondering how to control the USB out level?

I have no clue on this sorry